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Topic: Peter Bogdanovich (Read 10182 times)

So I finally made the plunge and rented 'Daisy Miller,' the infamous film that spelled the beginning of the long downward spiral that Bogdanovich's career never fully recovered from.

The closest thing I could compare to the movie's reputation/history is to 'Gigli'. Peter and Cybil were always in the news and out professing their love (an anecdote is told on dvd where Cary Grant called Bogs to say 'shut up, no one wants to hear you're happy'), the egos were full blown, and everyone was waiting in anticipation for the crash-and-burn. They got their wish.

'Daisy's reputation is quite unjustified... by no means is the film a disaster, I actually found it to be a simple, charming story of lonliness, outsiders, and clashes of culture. And a well-made one at that. It's almost a comedy of manners (not quite), almost a love story (not quite), and almost a tragic drama (not quite). Barry Brown is an European-ized American smitten w/ the gawdy, boorish American girl (Cybil) who's travelling Europe with her mother and sugar-crazed brother (James McMurtry, son of author Larry). The Miller's cause quite a ruckus with the other uptight Americans stationed here, not because they're bad people, they're just outgoing and 'do as they please,' as the movie states on occassion.

The film follows Brown's fascination/repulsion with Daisy, and his total lack of stones to actually do something about his feelings. Not even Daisy's infatuation w/ an Italian shmuck can break him from this coma. Sure, at moments, I found myself on the verge of yelling obscenities at the TV screen... but that's precisely the point. Brown's Weatherborn has been so homogenized by high-class ethics and book-learning that he's simply forgotten to feel ANYTHING, good or bad (and ew, the similarities to my own life and others I know... this story rings true).

While some may lament Cybil's performance, I place those criticisms not her acting ability, but of her character. Daisy's not the perfect girl, and it's blatantly obvious to everyone. She was never meant to run off and get married to Weatherborn in the end, it would have never worked. The story is truly about one man's re-awakening. And it works. The last scene particularly... the look shared between Brown and the young McMurty speaks volumes, and the last shot is a thing of beauty.

Let me finish by saying that I'll be highly surprised if anyone actually reads this, and even more surprised if anyone actually picks this flick up and digs it. If you're a Bogdonavich fan, I'll think you might enjoy it... but what the fuck do I know.

I just saw Targets, so I have now seen his first 3 films (next is Paper Moon). I loved Targets, nearly as much as Last Picture Show. Especially after finding out the task Corman gave him with this film, I'm even more impressed. I wish Bogdanovich would have kept making great films. I want to meet him, his first 2 films are great.

I recall seeing Daisy Miller and thinking, why do people dump on this film so much? I think if you achieve a great deal of success at an early age, like Bogdanovich did, then a lot of envious industry people will want to tear you down.

A word of caution for those who plan to see Daisy Miller -- keep in mind that it is set in the 19th century, when behavior was quite different from our current time. There was a sense of restraint and inhibition that is incomprehensible to people today, who all want to feel pleasure right now and blurt out all of their feelings without any sense of shame. Also, back then, things moved slowly and deliberately.

Peter Bogdanovich has agreed to direct The Broken Code, a movie about Rosalind Franklin, the only woman involved in cracking the DNA code. What's that you say? Haven't heard of her? Exactly! Arguments can and have been made that she was instrumental in discovering and understanding DNA, and was screwed out of a piece of the Nobel Prize, at least partially because James Watson and Francis Crick downplayed her contributions to their discovery. Bastards.

The screenplay, which was written by David Baxter, is the first product of Tribeca/Sloan Development, a very cool-sounding program set up four years ago to develop "realistic stories about science and technology that challenge existing stereotypes." Casting for the film will begin in May, and it's hoped that production will start this fall.

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“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” - Andy Warhol

In my biology class last summer, I saw a weird old film--I believe made for British TV--starring Jeff Goldblum and someone else as Watson and Crick. In fact, though, the film did center around Franklin, so this is not completely new or shocking idea. I'm assuming that Bogdanovich can do better than the one I saw. It was definitely dry and "informative" enough for a class, not something I'd seek out on my own (made the class time go by quickly enough, though--and Goldblum was still bizarre!).

Peter Bogdanovich has agreed to direct The Broken Code, a movie about Rosalind Franklin, the only woman involved in cracking the DNA code. What's that you say? Haven't heard of her? Exactly! Arguments can and have been made that she was instrumental in discovering and understanding DNA, and was screwed out of a piece of the Nobel Prize, at least partially because James Watson and Francis Crick downplayed her contributions to their discovery. Bastards.

The screenplay, which was written by David Baxter, is the first product of Tribeca/Sloan Development, a very cool-sounding program set up four years ago to develop "realistic stories about science and technology that challenge existing stereotypes." Casting for the film will begin in May, and it's hoped that production will start this fall.

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""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

You can hear the unmistakable introduction to Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues" playing in the background as Peter Bogdanovich discusses his latest project on the phone. But the filmmaker -- who also counts Mozart among his musical favorites -- is talking about rock 'n' roll.

"I know a little bit about rock 'n' roll, but I'm not an expert," Bogdanovich confesses. "I thought I'd learn something because I'm not set in my ways."

The director of "The Last Picture Show" and "Paper Moon" is taking a leap into rock with an as-yet-untitled film about Tom Petty.

The making of the picture coincides with the 30th anniversary of Petty's group the Heartbreakers, which he formed as Mudcrutch in Gainesville, Fla. The musician is putting the finishing touches on his new Warner Bros. solo album, "Highway Companion," which he is co-producing with former Traveling Wilburys colleague Jeff Lynne and Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell. A solo tour kicks off June 9 in Charlotte, N.C.

Bogdanovich might not immediately spring to mind as the first choice to direct a rockumentary, but his involvement in the film came naturally.

Petty's manager Tony Dimitriades says: "Sometime last year, Tom and I discussed the fact that 2006 was the 30th anniversary of the band. I think Tom came up with the idea of doing a definitive film about the band. The first order of the day was finding the right person to direct it."

For advice, Petty and Dimitriades turned to George Drakoulias, the bearlike producer who helmed Petty's 1994 solo album "Wildflowers." Dimitriades says: "(Drakoulias) made a couple of suggestions, including Peter Bogdanovich, who happens to be a friend of his. Tom got excited because he's a huge fan of his work."

Although Bogdanovich knew Petty primarily through his hits -- some of which he had nearly used in his features -- he was drawn to the musician's music and its roots.

"I'm attracted to things that are very American -- basically Southern American -- and I think his songs have a kind of ambiguity and impressionistic quality that are very intriguing," Bogdanovich says. "It connected to some pop culture phenomena that I'm very interested in. He was bowled over by Elvis and inspired by the Beatles, and before that by the Western. ... That appealed to me."

With funding from Petty's label, the project began shooting late last year. Bogdanovich has captured Petty on the air at XM Satellite Radio and in sessions for "King of the Hill" (he voices local numbskull Luke) and already has conducted interviews with the musician, Lynne, drummer Steve Ferrone and MTV executive Bill Flanagan, with Campbell and founding keyboardist Benmont Tench on deck. The director also has amassed 15 hours of historical material.

A warts-and-all presentation is promised. The feature will cover the exit of original Heartbreakers drummer Stan Lynch, the firing of bassist Howie Epstein and the return of Ron Blair, who rejoined the band after a 21-year absence to replace Epstein, who died of a drug overdose in 2003. Bogdanovich says, "We got some very good stuff from Tom (about Howie) -- it was very touching."

Shooting will continue at least through the fall, when Petty will do a 30th anniversary concert, possibly in Gainesville. Bogdanovich says, "I've worked on documentaries before, and one thing I know is they make themselves in a way, and you don't know what you've got until you've got it all."

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“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” - Andy Warhol

Peter Bogdanovich and ClickStar Inc. said Monday that the renowned filmmaker will curate the broadband distributor's newest artist-created channel, the Golden Age of Movies With Peter Bogdanovich. Bogdanovich will select the titles for the library from all genres and will provide expert commentary as well as personal anecdotes from his experience in the film industry. He also will select a different movie to highlight each week and will develop monthly programming themes in cooperation with ClickStar. "The golden age of movies was from 1912-62, as I conveniently figure it, and it's the foundation of the art," Bogdanovich said. "Even though most of the great work is available now for home viewing, most of the public is not aware of what to get. I mean, John Wayne made 200 pictures, and a lot of them are lousy, but a few of them are great."

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“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” - Andy Warhol

\"I wanted to make a film for kids, something that would present them with a kind of elementary morality. Because nowadays nobody bothers to tell those kids, \'Hey, this is right and this is wrong\'.\" - George Lucas

From what I remember, a shot from the very beginning of the film is repeated(this one: ) and then we cut to the credits.

Youtube clip of the ending:

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"A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later." --Stanley Kubrick

I actually can't get the clip to play past about three and a half minutes. Maybe you'll have better luck.

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"A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later." --Stanley Kubrick